ŚB 12.1.39-40
Devanagari
स्त्रीबालगोद्विजघ्नाश्च परदारधनादृता: ।
उदितास्तमितप्राया अल्पसत्त्वाल्पकायुष: ॥ ३९ ॥
असंस्कृता: क्रियाहीना रजसा तमसावृता: ।
प्रजास्ते भक्षयिष्यन्ति म्लेच्छा राजन्यरूपिण: ॥ ४० ॥
उदितास्तमितप्राया अल्पसत्त्वाल्पकायुष: ॥ ३९ ॥
असंस्कृता: क्रियाहीना रजसा तमसावृता: ।
प्रजास्ते भक्षयिष्यन्ति म्लेच्छा राजन्यरूपिण: ॥ ४० ॥
Verse text
strī-bāla-go-dvija-ghnāś ca
para-dāra-dhanādṛtāḥ
uditāsta-mita-prāyā
alpa-sattvālpakāyuṣaḥ
para-dāra-dhanādṛtāḥ
uditāsta-mita-prāyā
alpa-sattvālpakāyuṣaḥ
asaṁskṛtāḥ kriyā-hīnā
rajasā tamasāvṛtāḥ
prajās te bhakṣayiṣyanti
mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ
rajasā tamasāvṛtāḥ
prajās te bhakṣayiṣyanti
mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ
Synonyms
strī — of women; bāla — children; go — cows; dvija — and brāhmaṇas; ghnāḥ — the murderers; ca — and; para — of other men; dāra — the wives; dhana — and money; ādṛtāḥ — showing interest in; udita-asta-mita — switching their moods from elated to depressed and then to moderate; prāyāḥ — for the most part; alpa-sattva — having little strength; alpaka-āyuṣaḥ — and short life spans; asaṁskṛtāḥ — not purified by Vedic rituals; kriyā-hīnāḥ — devoid of regulative principles; rajasā — by the mode of passion; tamasā — and by the mode of ignorance; āvṛtāḥ — covered over; prajāḥ — the citizens; te — they; bhakṣayiṣyanti — will virtually devour; mlecchāḥ — outcastes; rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ — appearing as kings.
Translation
These barbarians in the guise of kings will devour the citizenry, murdering innocent women, children, cows and brāhmaṇas and coveting the wives and property of other men. They will be erratic in their moods, have little strength of character and be very short-lived. Indeed, not purified by any Vedic rituals and lacking in the practice of regulative principles, they will be completely covered by the modes of passion and ignorance.
Purport
These verses give a concise, accurate description of the fallen leaders of this age.